The Human Samaritan

January 15, 2014

I always want to save the boy in the burning house. Why does he refuse to come out? Why does he want to choke on the smoke, To sweat in the burning heat? To want to feel the burn of the flames on his skin? Why do I want to save him? I want to stand in the burning house with him. To choke, to sweat, to burn, To feel flames on my skin. Why do I want to get burned? Because I know I can go to the cooling river And wash away the sweat, Heal the burns. Clean off the ashes. But he doesn’t know that. He just knows the flames. I want to be his drop of water from the river. I want him to get a taste. But the drop evaporates And I am stuck with two options. Stay and burn, Or return to the river alone. So I’ll come back tomorrow.

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RebeccaYSPerezApr 30, 2014

<p>This poem is so haunting, and maybe it is my own cynical nature to be positively drawn to things like these, but I found it absolutely beautiful. There is something so immersing in your depiction of fire, ironically reminding me of a moth to a flame. The most powerful line that he stayed with me after your poem is "he just knows the flames." And it is so very true in every way, how some people have felt nothing but pain for so long that they no longer know anything else- they do not see the escapes they can take. The most touching part of this part is your insistence, how you are willing to return. Just as much is your resilience to forget you must care for yourself as well. Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful piece.</p><p>Rebecca</p>

The Human Samaritan

mollyannerhodes

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